Who can apply for dual Croatian citizenship

Individuals who do not possess dual Croatian citizenship (foreign nationals) are eligible to submit an application for the acquisition of Croatian citizenship. They may attain Croatian citizenship through the process of naturalization, provided they fulfill the criteria established in the Croatian Citizenship Act. Croatian citizenship may be acquired on the following legal bases:

• Residence in Croatia
• Birth in Croatia
• Marriage or civil partnership with a Croatian citizen
• Emigration
• Affiliation with the Croatian nation
• Reacquisition of Croatian citizenship

Dual Croatian citizenship for minor children

Minor children may obtain Croatian citizenship through naturalization under the following circumstances:

• If both parents obtain citizenship through naturalization
• If one parent acquires citizenship through naturalization while the child resides in Croatia and has been granted permanent residence
• If one parent acquires citizenship through naturalization in accordance with Article 11(1) or Article 16 of the Croatian Citizenship Act
• If one parent acquires citizenship through naturalization and the other parent is stateless or of unknown citizenship, while the child resides abroad.

Matters concerning the acquisition of Croatian citizenship via naturalization are overseen by the Ministry of the Interior (Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Republike Hrvatske)

Submission of Applications for Croatian Dual citizenship in the USA

Applications for Croatian citizenship through naturalization must be submitted through the consulate of the Republic of Croatia.
The application form can be downloaded from this link or accessed via the Ministry of the Interior’s official website.
– Application for the acquisition of Croatian citizenship (Zahtjev za stjecanje hrvatskog državljanstva)
through naturalization for an adult.
– Application for the acquisition of Croatian citizenship through naturalization for an adult and child/children.
– Application for the acquisition of Croatian citizenship through naturalization for child/children.

Supporting documents for Dual Croatian citizenship

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Croatia obliges applicants applying for Croatian citizenship by ancestry to submit:

• Current U.S. passport, its notarized copy and certified translation into Croatian
• Birth certificate apostilled with a certified legalized translation into Croatian
• FBI Background check certificate apostilled and certified Croatian translation
• Criminal record from the country of residence, apostilled with a legalized translation into Croatian

Each application is case-by-case dependent, but typical ancestor – related required documents are:

• Original birth certificate and a legalized translation into Croatian
• Original marriage certificate and a legalized translation into Croatian
• Original death certificate and a legalized translation into Croatian

In addition to the application form, the following supporting documents must be included:

• A curriculum vitae and a letter of motivation for obtaining Croatian citizenship.
• A certified copy of a valid identity document (passport or identification document for foreign nationals)

Dual Croatian Citizenship Additional Documents

• Proof of citizenship status (certificate of citizenship or a certified copy of a passport or ID card).
• An extract from the registry of births issued in accordance with international agreements.
• An extract from the registry of marriages issued within the last six months (for married individuals).
• If the application is based on marriage to a Croatian citizen, the marriage must be registered in the Registry of Marriages in the Republic of Croatia.
• An extract from the Registry of Civil Partnerships (for civil partners).
• Evidence of no criminal record issued by the relevant foreign authority of the applicant’s country of citizenship and permanent residence, provided in the original language or as a duly certified copy with a Croatian translation, issued within the last six months.

Besides, applications submitted abroad are subject to a consular fee, which must be paid at the time of application submission.

Evidence of Proficiency in Croatian Language

Individuals applying for Croatian citizenship based on residency in Croatia, excluding those over 60 years of age, must demonstrate proficiency in the Croatian language and Latin alphabet, as well as knowledge of Croatian culture and social structure.
Also, knowledge of Croatian culture and social structure must be shown by completing a questionnaire independently, without assistance.  That is to say, proficiency in the Croatian language and Latin alphabet must be substantiated through appropriate documentation. This  may, in certain instances, include the mere submission of the application form for naturalization. For example, foreign nationals who have held refugee status in Croatia for at least ten years prior to the application date, or individuals whose permanent residence was in Croatia as of 8 October 1991).

Acquisition of the Certificate of Croatian Citizenship (Uvjerenje o hrvatskom državljanstvu)

Following the attainment of Croatian citizenship and subsequent registration in the Registry of Citizens of the Republic of Croatia, individuals may obtain the certificate of nationality at a Croatian Consulate located in the United States.  What’s more, processes for obtaining Croatian citizenship based on different criteria can be found on the website of the Ministry of the Interior. Also, on the said website bay be found  information regarding necessary supporting documents.

Therefore, successfully and precisely filling out the application for Croatian citizenship is the initial step in acquiring citizenship through Croatian ancestry. Thus, if you lack proficiency in reading and writing Croatian, navigating the citizenship application supplied by the Croatian Consulate may prove difficult.  In view of the said,  at Apoling, we provide document apostille service  for Croatia and translation services for Croatian citizenship applications to guarantee that you can comprehend and complete them accurately.

Assistance for Dual  Croatian Citizenship Applicants

Apoling Solutions is adept at handling the full spectrum of document apostilling and translation into  Croatian for citizenship by descent applications.  In addition, we offer support in docuemtn retrieving, managing the apostille process, translating documents into Croatian.  Should you be thinking about applying for Italian citizenship by descent for yourself, your child, or your parent, do not hesitate to reach out for more detailed information specific to your case. We are here to help.